leonardcohenforum.com

Hey, Ali ~

That'll learn 'em .

~ Lizzy

It's not oblique I wouldn't say, Lizzy . You're right, 'teakettle' does sound rather British.

Whad'ya mean, Ali? I didn't mean we spoke like that. Just some people .

Diane

Yeah, you're probably right on that ~ I guess euphemism would be more correct, yes? Especially when I've been thinking all along that it was the more polite form and have used it here several times, on that basis .

No, I wouldn't even call it a euphemism. Arse is quite blunt, coarse some might say. Oh Lizzy , think of all those faux pas you have made .

No, don't be concerned, it's not that bad, really, as rude words go.

Diane

Oh dear!

I have always thought that 'arse' was a watered down version of our 'ass'.

I didn't realize is was on the crude side. Hope I have not offended any Brits along the way with this misnomer.

L

Well, it sounds better to me! I'd be willing to bet that most Americans, who haven't been informed by Brits, would take it as the more-polite form ~ but, then, what do we know ?

Well, Laurie ~

You're the first grass poll-ee. 2:0 so far . Yes, "watered down" works for my forever-till-now impression.

Faux pas ~ Oh, yeah, Diane ~ that'll be a first

~ Lizzy

Now I'm thinking that perhaps I have made a mistake about what I thought was the mild American ass?

This is getting confusing .

I gotta go, son wants to get on the computer.

Diane.

PS Hope someone can sort this out, it seems important we should know.

Just get it sorted while you're gone, and get back with us, okay, Diane ?

Sorry, Story C ~ We gotta get this worked out first, and then we'll be back to you. Diane should have some news on it by this evening .

Well, Diane ~ I thought you were on the job !

While you were writing that Lizzy, I called for someone else's help in my last post. Will we ever know for sure, I mean, how do we compare the two a(r)ses on a scale of politeness?

Son now getting really cross I'm on 'that Leonard Coehn site again' when he wants to play his online games. Bye!

Yes, I noticed that I gave you an edited line, as you were busy asking about someone sorting it; whilst I had already given you the assignment

We may just have to accept it as a conundrum ~ or our "ass" is the crude form for us, and when we want to be polite [you folks are known for that, y'know ], we use your form "arse." Meanwhile, over in Great Britain, you folks are being crude with your "arse," and use our form of "ass" when you want to be polite.

Now, taking it a step further, when you compare our two countries, which of those makes the most sense to you!?!
< * lizzy thanks diane for conceding that "ass" is definitely the crude form, and "arse" the polite * >

Tee-Hee

~ Lizzy

I don't believe I have come back on the computer before bed to talk about arses. Well, my husband thought both the American term and the British were equally rude or not, and my dictionary said both were vulgar. No help there then. All I can say is, you Americans are always saying get your ass over here; I laughed my ass off; don't worry your ass about it; you bet your ass; don't get Town Hall on my ass, etc, so it can't be that bad.

'Arse' does have a bit of a jocular slant, and is certainly not a word that most people here would seriously find at all offensive. Now, I take it this is the arse-end of this discussion.

Diane

<* Diane thanks Lizzy for conceding that us "folks" are known for being polite and not saying "arse" nearly as much as the Americans say "ass". *>

Can't say that I really care for this one. . When you begin to read it and one double entendre follows another, there's no longer any mystery to the story. Nothing unusual or surprising or meaningful. Just some silly smut/jokes. Just my opinion though.

Tee-Hee, Diane. One concession's worth another ~ fair trade .

I don't believe I have come back on the computer before bed to talk about arses.

The depths, isn't it!?!

You're right that our "ass"es get a lot more mileage than your "arse"s; however, even in the samples you gave, it's still consider more 'vulgar' speech than not. Nothing that most can't 'handle,' but still like a layer of dust on a person's locution. With much intensity, it can be like some caked dirt, or even mud, if it gets too heavy.

"Don't worry your silly ass about it" would be another variation on a theme. You're right-on with the others, and they do get used a lot here. Hmmm.

'Arse' does have a bit of a jocular slant,

Yes, exactly. You got it ~ jocular and the connotation that goes with that.

Uhhh, yeah ~ "arse" end works for me !

~ Lizzy